The Miracle Mile - The Roger Bannister Effect

0:00This Torah class is brought to you by Torahanytime.com As we take leave of this holy ant of our poem, I'd like to share with you a powerful takeaway message we can carry with us throughout the year. Regarding Amalek, the Apostle says, Asha-Kar-Khabadarath What does Kar-Khamin, Sir Ashi says, Kar-Kham comes from the word Kar, cold. Amalek cold you off. Ashi brings a muscles on the meds. When Kar-Khabadarath left Mitzraiam, we were like a scolding hot bath. The entire world was terrified. They saw the Makas. They saw it sees Mitzraiam. They saw Krizyamsuf. They saw that Hashem loved Kar-Khabadarath and the world was terrified. No nation dared to touch us. But then came Amalek. They were the first to attack us. They jumped into a boiling bath. What happens when someone jumps into a scolding hot bath? They get burnt. Amalek was destroyed. But the bath becomes a little bit cooler for the next person.

1:03Amalek established a precedent. You can fight the Jews. Yes, we lost. But maybe the next nation will win. That is Kar-Kha. They made you cold. Suddenly, you are not invincible anymore. They removed the aura of all reverence that the world had for you. But the question is, why must we remember Amalek every single day? Why is it one of the six ahires? And perhaps the answer is, Mida Kanagadmida. Just as Amalek took something that seemed untouchable and made it seem attackable, he made it seem possible. Likewise, we must take things that seem impossible and make them achievable. Amalek cooled what seemed untouchable. We must heat up what seems unreachable. For example, take Duffy Ami. Every seven and a half years, a new cycle begins. Thousands start with excitement and hope. But finishing Shas feels so overwhelming.

2:03Seven and a half years, every single day, it feels impossible. But then one person finishes Shas. And suddenly, it's no longer impossible. Now, it's realistic. If he can do it, then I can do it too. With every cycle at the Sema Shas, when we witness thousands of Eden completing the entire Shas, more people join. And they finish Shas as well. This proves that the barrier was never physical. It was psychological. Amalek tried to cool us off. To make us doubt. To make greatness feel out of reach. We take that same understanding and we use it to the positive. To demonstrate to ourselves and to others that what one seemed impossible is in fact within reach. With that, I'd like to share with you an incredible insight. Until about 70 years ago, it was widely believed that no human being could run a four-minute mile.

3:04Scientists studied long capacity and human physiology, and they concluded it was biologically impossible for a human being to run that fast. But then came May 6th, 1954. A 25-year-old medical student from London named Roger Bannister shattered that myth. He ran a mile in three minutes and 59.4 seconds. The first human ever to break the four-minute barrier. Newspapers around the world exploded with headlines. The New York Times called it one of man's unattainable goals. It was dubbed the Miracle Mile. But here's what's fascinating. Six weeks later, a man by the name of John Landy ran a mile in three minutes and 57.9 seconds. And within 10 months, 37 runners broke four minutes. And within two years, over 300 runners had done it. So what changed?

4:05Did lungs evolve? Did legs become stronger? Did Nike make better sneakers? Did humans suddenly become faster? And the answer is no. Perception changed. A psychological barrier was shattered. Once the impossible entered the realm of possibility, the human mind unlocked what the body was already capable of. That is the power of the mind. If he can do it, so can I. And this is the lesson of remembering Amalek. Amalek called what felt invincible. We must warm up what feels impossible. How often do we say, I can't exercise. I can't eat healthier. I can't stop talking lotion horror. I can't run a successful business. I can't be a better parent. We lack ourselves inside a box labeled mediocre. And we sit there because we believe we belong there. But that barrier isn't real. It's perception.

5:05Change begins the moment we defeat those two dreaded words. I can't. And that is why we remember Amalek every single day. Because just as he tried to prove that something untouchable could be touched, we must prove that something unreachable can be reached. And now we know. Have a wonderful day. You've just experienced another Torah class brought to you by Torahanytime.com.